The present invention relates generally to electrical battery connectors and more specifically to an electrical battery connector for use in an electropneumatic brake system.
The American Association of Railroads ("AAR") has sponsored the development of electropneumatic brakes on freight trains. These brake systems generally include a microprocessor at each car to provide electrical control of the pneumatic brake system of the car. A battery is provided at each microprocessor. Due to the hostile environment, the processor, the electropneumatic control elements and the batteries must be provided in a sealed enclosure. Although the batteries may be charged from a trainline, replacement of the batteries must be easily performed and the ability to prevent misconnection of the positive and negative terminals of the battery to the system must be provided.
The present invention is a battery connector for connection to a battery having a positive and negative terminals extending parallel to a first face of the battery. The connector includes housing having a side wall with a first and second openings spaced the same distance as a positive and negative terminal of the battery. Positive and negative sockets are in the housing adjacent to and exposed by the first and second openings respectively. At least one protuberances extends from the first face of the housing to indicate mismatch of the sockets with the battery terminals when the first face of the housing is adjacent to the first face of the battery. The protuberance does not extend from the second face which allows the connectors to mate with the battery terminals when the second face is adjacent to the first face of the battery.
Preferably, there are two protuberances extending from the first face of the housing and being aligned with the respective side wall openings. Preferably, the protuberances are pins or prongs mounted to the housing. The pin includes a head and shaft and the housing includes counterbored holes through which the shaft extends with the head in the counterbore. The counterbore is in the second face of the housing. A fastener, for example, a C-ring, is on the shaft adjacent the first face and secures the pin to the housing. Where the connector housing is two plates, the pins or prongs also secures the two plates together.
The housing includes the first and second plates having the first and second housing faces and the pin joints of first and second plates together. The housing is of an insulative material. The second face of the housing is substantially co-extensive with the first face of the battery. The connectors include leads connected thereto and extend outside the housing through a third opening in the side wall. The third opening for the leads are between the first and second openings on a common side wall or on another side wall. The first, second and third openings extend across the mating faces of the two plates. The connectors are L-shaped and are received in L-shaped channels in the plates. The L-shaped channels are also connected to the third opening for the leads.
A battery enclosure for the battery includes a having a cavity opened at a front wall for receiving the battery. The connector described including the sockets form the lid of the enclosure and is substantially co-extensive with the opened front wall. This dimension locks the sockets on the terminal when the battery is inserted in the closure with the second face of the lid adjacent the first face of the battery. The enclosure is part of a housing for the electropneumatic control valve which may include additional cover plates.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.